Chapter 14 : Tomorrow's Arrival (1)*

Ash just watched everything to the side. Behind him was Nightmare, crouching together with him. It was still the same, its big creepy eyes gazed at little Kevin's figure that was laying down at the hospital bed. Though it doesn't appear to have a mouth now, but his eyes still have those lines that make it seems that it was crying.

Ash too, he was crying as well. He now knew why Kevin can't accept this memory.

His mother gave him hope. He reached out his hand, but he was thrown down instead. He fell and fell into the abyss, never to see the light again.

This was Kevin's hidden past.

Even Ash don't want Kevin to remember this again.

He could see from the way his mother saw him. Kevin was truly hated and he never really received love from the start.

...

Ash wanted to protect little Kevin when they were at the wardrobe before. Even if he knew that it was futile, he thought there is a way. He could use his silver flames like he did before. Besides, everything here is not true and it already happened in the past.

But before he could take action, a stupid shadow stops him and now, he was forced to watched everything from a far.

Again. He could only watch.

Ash stayed inside the dream from the duration it was moving.

One year, four months and two days.

He knew it was just a dream, but he felt like it was real.

Every day, he watched as little Kevin sat there at the hospital bed looking like a mindless doll.

Every process little Kevin took to rehabilitate and to get better, Ash witnessed it all.

It took little Kevin a year to finally be able to adopt into his new circumstances. But he was never better.

Thankfully Adrianne was there, it helps little Kevin his recovery.

Still, Ash finds it unbelievable, the Kevin he knew looked like someone who didn't experienced abused in the past.

But it turns out, the reason why he can maintain his facade is because he doesn't remember his past at all.

He erased everything...

Just so he can keep on living.

And Ash really felt thankful for that.

Because five years later, he will be able to meet little Kevin.

...

...

...

After a year of watching helplessly from the side, Ash can't take it anymore. He tried many times, but he just can't get away from the stupid Nightmare.

When he saw little Kevin going for a walk at the garden at the back of their mansion, Ash just felt that he can do it. He can fight Nightmare and defeat it. He will bring back Kevin and wake him up; away from all these bad dreams.

But when he turned to look behind him, Nightmare was already gone. His limbs, they can move freely now.

So, without thinking anything anymore, he jumped and rushed towards little Kevin who was sitting at the side on the bench.

Lightly lifting his flexible limbs, Ash sat beside little Kevin without a sound and observe him from where he sat.

Still the same. Lifeless. Little Kevin stared blankly at the air, his eyes look dead, his skin pale, though he now looked much healthier than he did a year ago.

Ash didn't know if little Kevin could see him, but he wanted to try. He opened his furry mouth to wanting to speak but he stopped.

Why?

Because he saw little Kevin moved.

Ash closed his mouth. He watched as Kevin bow his head to looked at his hands. Kevin play with his fingers, then a sinister black tendril like smoke appeared from the tip of his fingers.

Shocked, Ash almost lashes out Kevin's fingers with his silver flame to protect him, when he heard Kevin finally speaks.

"...did you know what this is?"

It was the same childish voice; it's was soft and sounding good to hear. But his tone sounds mature, his words was spoke clearly. It was unlikely that it was the little Kevin that was speaking.

Kevin woke up again. That's why Nightmare was gone. However, Ash still did not answer. He did not know. He was confused, lost and did not know anything.

"...you have one too. That silver aura, it evolved into a form of a flame..." Kevin whispered as he still looked at his hands that was still entangled with those eerie black tendrils like smoke. It still going, creeping towards his wrists.

But Ash didn't hear what Kevin has said. He didn't care, he cared more of his wellbeing. Kevin was flaring up his mentality in this d*nm nightmare. He does not know how he could cope, but staying here, Ash also went crazy.

Ash saw Kevin before this dream. The first time he saw Kevin again after he woke again. It was shocking. He was lifeless with cold faced and has eyes that didn't reflect anything.

He wanted to know what happened. Ash didn't want to stayed within the dark.

What change him? What did he experience?

He wanted to know...

Swish~

Getting onto Kevin's lap, Ash stood in his hind legs and resting his paws against Kevin's cheeks. Silver eyes met the gloomy black eyes.

He was wrong. Ash was wrong.

There's still a reflection within those black eyes. Ash saw himself. It was not a cat.

But a reflection of a beautiful woman.

Always. Kevin only has his eyes on the woman named Ashley.

Seeing that, Ash wanted to tear up again. But he endures.

"...what happened? Can you tell me?" He pleaded.

Hearing those words, Kevin's eyes focused and the reflection on his eyes changed into a cat. A big grey chinchilla cat– Ashley gifted this cat to him.

This cat...he named him Ash.

Looking at the big cat, Kevin tears up. He didn't talk, he just stared at Ash and became a mess from crying.

Helpless, Ash begins to lick his tears dry. But it was not enough as Kevin just continues to cry silently. Ash didn't know what's going on inside his head right now. If only he could read his mind. Nevertheless, he still pacifies Kevin saying comforting and sweet words.

"It's fine, if you can't tell me anything now. I can wait. I already wait and watched you for one lifetime, waiting for few days, weeks, months or years doesn't sounds that bad."

Reassuring Kevin, Ash thought that he might be placing Kevin in a tight spot. "It ok, I could wait."

He didn't know what he said that made Kevin cried harder. But when he said those words, he saw Kevin's black eyes waver.

"...the same..." Kevin murmurs. He stared at Ash, then he suddenly smiles. It was only just saw slight smile. It was a small curved but it completely changes Kevin's ambiance.

"...you...really never changed..." He said. "You said the same thing to me, before, 'I will wait for you.'"

Confused, Ash titled his head and urged Kevin to speak more. He doesn't remember saying those before, if his memory did not fail him.

Kevin let out more smile, but his eyes was sad and tired. Tears keeps training down his cheek as he opened his mouth to proceed.

"...I was her first target." Kevin looked at the black tendrils like smoke that swirling in his hands. "...when I woke up, my mind was already broken. I died so suddenly."

When Ash heard what he said, he frowned, but he didn't interrupted Kevin.

"She uses those charms and I was seduced. I needed some evidence, to know that you really didn't gave up on me."

'Huh?' Ash was confused again. Kevin was saying something that he doesn't know. Then he remembered something, '...seems like, I'm not the only who went back this time…'

That's what he said. 'this time', what does it mean...

Ash heart beat fast. His eyes were trembling, he just thought of something crazy. In his mind, he repeatedly denied, 'it was not true, it's just a hypothesis.' Over and over, he wished Kevin didn't experienced those.

But sad truth– he did.

Kevin snapped; he began to cry loud. He utters many words that was hard to fathom. His emotions just overflowed, that he could not contain it anymore.

"...I left you waiting on that altar all alone..."

"...I died, again..."

"...I made you wait again."

"...I can't take it anymore and when I woke up, I was already broken..."

"I was her target at first...I fell for her hypnosis... but Nightmare devour it and I woke up." Kevin took Ash in his arms and tightly hug him. He buried his face in the thick fur as he whispered, "...I was broken again..."

"I keep attacking them, wanting to find you...I thought it was my turn..."

"...I promised to find you..."

"...But then she said you are dead...'A soul without a vessel won't survive and can only disappear'..."

Kevin clenched his fist and the smoky tendrils disappears. He held Ash strongly,"...I was broken again", he said. While Ash fur was already drench with his tears, Ash, from beginning did not move. His mouth was tightly shut, but his ears was erect and he was listening carefully.

And every time, Kevin spoke of that woman, Ash silver eyes grew cold. His iris shrunk, and his gaze already turning dangerous.

"...And you saw it...at the rooftop...I given up on life..."

That's right, he saw it and Ash never want to witnessed that again. Now, his eyes totally grew murderous.

"...I wished I never woke up...But when I died, I opened my eyes again..."

"...But this time, you found me...You save me again...I... I'm sorry..."

Ash didn't speak. He just continues licking Kevin's tears feeling remorseful and sad.

"...I'm sorry..."

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